Urinary pumping device with an implantable activation arrangement

Abstract

A urinary pumping device (1) for generating a fluid flow through an urethra (22; 220) of a patient (2; 20), comprises an implantable activation arrangement (11) and a control unit (12). The implantable activation arrangement (11) is configured to induce intermittent compression and release of the urethra (22) when being implanted into the patient (2). The control unit (12) is coupled to the activation arrangement (11). The control unit (12) is configured to operate the activation arrangement (11) such that the fluid flow through the urethra (22) is generated by the activation arrangement (11) inducing intermittent compression and release of the urethra (22).

1 . A urinary pumping device for generating a fluid flow through an urethra of a patient comprising:
 an implantable activation arrangement configured to induce intermittent compression and release of the urethra when being implanted into the patient; and   a control unit coupled to the activation arrangement,   wherein the control unit is configured to operate the activation arrangement such that the fluid flow through the urethra is generated by the activation arrangement inducing intermittent compression and release of the urethra.   
     
     
         2 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to operate the activation arrangement to work as an impedance pump. 
     
     
         3 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the activation arrangement such that a periodic compression and release of the urethra is generated by the activation arrangement at a predefined frequency. 
     
     
         4 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 3 , wherein the predefined frequency is in a range of about 1 Hz to about 50 Hz and, preferably, in a range of about 5 Hz to about 20 Hz. 
     
     
         5 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 1 , wherein the activation arrangement comprises an implantable electrode configured to be implantable into the body of the patient such that the urethral sphincter of the patient is stimulatable by an electric field generated by the electrode of the activation arrangement. 
     
     
         6 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 1 , wherein the activation arrangement comprises a surrounding portion dimensioned to be arranged around the urethra of the patient. 
     
     
         7 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 6 , wherein the surrounding portion comprises a cuff. 
     
     
         8 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 6 , wherein the surrounding portion comprises a ring portion. 
     
     
         9 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 6 , wherein the activation arrangement comprises a diameter adjuster configured to reduce a diameter of the surrounding portion when being arranged around the urethra of the patient. 
     
     
         10 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 6 , wherein the surrounding portion of the activation arrangement comprises a dimension variable material which exhibits a change of a diameter of the surrounding portion when stimulated. 
     
     
         11 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 10 , wherein the control unit comprises a signal sender configured to send a stimulation signal to stimulate the dimension variable material of the surrounding portion of the activation arrangement. 
     
     
         12 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 1 , comprising a power supply unit configured to provide power to the activation arrangement. 
     
     
         13 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is arranged to be separate from the activation arrangement such that it is positionable remote from the activation arrangement. 
     
     
         14 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 13 , wherein the activation arrangement comprises a first wireless adapter and the control unit comprises a second wireless adapter in communication with the first wireless adapter. 
     
     
         15 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 1 , wherein the activation arrangement comprises a pushing member, and the pushing member is configured to compress the urethra of the patient. 
     
     
         16 . The urinary pumping device of  claim 3 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the activation arrangement such that a periodic compression and release of the urethra is generated by the activation arrangement at a predefined amplitude, a predefined pressure, a predefined force and/or a predefined duty cycle, in addition to the predefined frequency.